


The taste of your tears

by maf21bcn



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-04
Updated: 2015-09-04
Packaged: 2018-04-19 01:28:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4727588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maf21bcn/pseuds/maf21bcn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Enjolras says very hard words to Grantaire, so much that they make R cry.<br/>Their friends call him on it, and he knows he has to fix it somehow.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The taste of your tears

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cami_case](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cami_case/gifts).



> This is my first fic ever for the Les Mis fandom so I apologize in advance.  
> It came as a prompt from my wonderful friend Caz, for Enjolras/Grantaire.
> 
> The prompt said: things you said when i was crying.
> 
> Please, have in mind that my writer's block has been awful for months.  
> Also, this is unbetaed so... any mistakes are my own.  
> If you find any, let me know.
> 
> Comments and kudos are highly appreciated! :)

\- Enjolras! It’s enough! – says Combeferre pulling at his arm to make his friend turn around and face him – Stop now!

 

Enjolras, still breathing heavily after his interrupted rant against R and his cynicism, looks at Combeferre, missing how Grantaire gets up and hurries out the door of the Musain.

 

\- What? – asks Enjolras, frowning.

\- You didn’t even notice – answers his friend, shaking his head and sighing – He was crying.

\- What? No! That’s… No! He wasn’t! – exclaims the blonde looking around to their friends and seeing frowns and poses that show how uncomfortable they all feel.

\- Yes, Enjolras – continues Combeferre – You… He may know how to push your buttons but… he cares. About this. About you. Your words were hurting him.

\- But, I… I didn’t…

 

He’s at a loss of words. For the first time in forever, he has no idea what to say. Was R truly crying? Were his words that hurtful?

 

\- I know you didn’t mean it – says Combeferre – But you did hurt him, and if I were you, I would go looking for him to apologize.

\- But… the meeting… I can’t…

 

He doesn’t even know what he’s trying to say. There is no way that the meeting, interrupted again by his and Grantaire’s usual disagreements, is going to continue now.

 

\- Enjolras – says Musiquetta, breaking his confused train of thought – You better go and tell him you are sorry. You were out of line.

\- She’s right, man. Just run after him and undo what you’ve done; however you can – ends Courfeyrac throwing a pitiful look his way.

 

How could he have stepped so much out of line? R had always given as much as he took but going through their discussion in his head, Enjolras could see now how the longer and louder he ranted, the quieter grew Grantaire, to the point of not talking anymore and looking everywhere but at him.

 

\- Oh, no… I really did hurt him, didn’t I? – asks Enjolras looking at his friends and running his hands trough his hair in despair – I didn’t want to. I… I swear I would never want to hurt him like that. He… We… We always end up arguing over everything and we say things we know are not always true. We… I…

\- We know, Enjolras – says Combeferre with a concerned look – We know you didn’t mean it. But you said it. You said he’s not worth hanging with us, that he will never be like us, will never deserve a place between us.

\- What? – asks Enjolras, in shock – I… How could… I didn’t… I don’t think that! I would never…

\- We know. – repeats Combeferre.

\- That’s why you need to go after him and apologize now. – says Jehan from his armchair – Maybe it’s time for you both to talk about why you act this way with each other.

\- What do you mean? – asks Enjolras.

\- Come on! – exclaims Courfeyrac – You are like school kids pulling at each other’s pigtails all the time! It’s getting old already!

 

The blonde looks at his friend, holding his breath. Do they really know how he feels about R? Is Courfeyrac implying that Grantaire feels the same way?

For months, now, he has been harboring this stupid and childish crush on Grantaire, not knowing why the artist can bring his emotions to the limit, can make him better just by antagonizing him all the time, can make him feel more alive than he’s ever felt with anyone else before. Could it be true? Could R feel something as unique, maddening and uplifting for him, too?

Enjolras turns to Combeferre, knowing that his best friend will know all the things going through his mind, will know which are the right words he needs to hear, then and there. And, as always, Combeferre doesn’t disappoint.

 

\- Go – he says with a half smile – Go and make it right.

 

That’s all Enjolras needs.

He goes straight for the door but once the cold outside hits him he realizes he has no idea where to go. It hasn’t been that long since Grantaire took off and that means that he has to be somewhere close enough to reach if he starts running now. But, where does he have to run to?

Suddenly, an idea comes to mind. He’s seen Grantaire doodling a few pieces of the bridge over the Seine that’s closer to the Musain, so he goes there hoping to have enough luck to find him there. It’s when he is just about to cross the street to the bridge that he sees R leaning against the cold stone.

He can only see him from the back, shoulders tense and black curls moving wild with the winter wind. Even from this distance, Enjolras can tell he is still crying.

He approaches the other man carefully, and leans on the bridge at his right, just about a foot away.

 

\- R… - whispers Enjolras, taking a deep breath and giving Grantaire a moment to look away and bring his left sleeve to his cheeks, taking his tears away – I… I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.

 

Grantaire looks at him, frown in place, puffy eyes full of questions, chapped lips slightly parted as if he was about to ask them all but had no idea where to start.

 

\- I didn’t mean any of the horrible things I said – continues Enjolras – I have no idea why I let myself go there and be so cruel. You… You don’t deserve that. No one does. I’m truly sorry, R.

 

He, then, raises his left hand and touches Grantaire’s forearm, not sure if he does it because he needs the contact or because he wants to make sure that the other man is not going to set off running.

Grantaire hasn’t said a thing yet. He just looks at Enjolras’ hand on his arm, eyes wide, like if he can’t believe that Enjolras is touching him.

 

\- Grantaire… - says Enjolras, his voice breaking a little at the last syllable.

R looks up, then, to his eyes and takes a deep breath before turning his gaze to the Seine.

 

\- It’s okay…

 

His voice sounds rough and a bit broken, in a way that wouldn’t leave any doubt about his previous crying if Enjolras hadn’t already seen his tears.

 

\- No, R. It’s not right. I stepped out of line. I said horrible things that you didn’t deserve. Things that I don’t even think are true. And I’m sorry. That’s why I came looking for you. I need to apologize. I need… I need…

 

He loses his words there. How is he going to say what he really needs? How would Grantaire belive him after all the things he’s said?

He feels warmth in his hand and turns his eyes to see that Grantaire is covering the hand he still has in the brunette’s arm with his own.

 

\- What… What do you need? – asks Grantaire, squeezing his hand softly as if he was encouraging Enjolras with the gesture.

 

“Now or never”, he thinks, and turns his hand so that he can thread their fingers together. He looks at Grantaire’s eyes and sees a slight shock in them.

 

\- I need… I need you, R. I… I need you around. You make me better. You… You make me feel more alive. With you around, I feel stronger, braver… And I don’t want these feelings to change, to… to fade.

 

Grantaire is looking at him with teary eyes and what looks like a hopeful half smile dancing in his lips, like if he can’t believe that Enjolras is actually saying those things to him, and that’s why he feels a rush of boldness go through him as he takes a step into Grantaire’s space, raising his free hand to his friend’s face, and leaning forward, until his lips are barely two inches away from Grantaire’s.

 

\- I want them to keep growing. I want… I want you, R. I’ve wanted you for a long time – and then he closes the remaining distance and he is kissing Grantaire for the first time.

 

Grantaire’s lips taste like wine and salt.

They’re a bit chapped from the tears and the cold, and that’s why Enjolras kisses him tenderly, trying to bring into the kiss all the things he can’t find the words to explain.

It takes R a few seconds to react but when he does it’s like all of the feelings that have been growing between them all this time are finally out and he can pour them into that kiss, turning it hungrier, a bit more desperate.

Enjolras doesn’t know how long their kiss lasts, but he knows that by the time they break it, they’re both panting and smiling into each other’s mouths.

He’s so excited and… so happy. He can’t believe that he has just kissed Grantaire and that his friend kissed him back.

He needs to make sure that he has made things better, that R understands that he doesn’t think any of the things he said at the Musain, and that’s way he punctuates with a kiss, each and every of his words.

 

\- I’m…

*kiss*

\- Really…

*kiss*

\- Sorry…

*kiss*

\- I didn’t…

*kiss*

\- Mean any…

*kiss*

\- Of the things…

*kiss*

\- I said…

*kiss*

\- At the Musain.

 

He looks Grantaire in the eye before he continues.

 

\- You are important. Very important. To all of us.

 

Another kiss, and a soft whisper.

 

\- You are very important... to me.

 

Enjolras feels Grantaire’s smile against his lips, and fresh tears falling down his cheeks.

 

Making Grantaire cry again with his angry words?

He will try, with all he has, to not do something like that ever again.

 

Making Grantaire cry happy tears with kind words and kisses?

“I definitely could get used to that!”, thinks Enjolras, smiling into their kiss, too.

 

********** THE END **********


End file.
